Closure for receptacles



Dec. 24, 1957 A. E. LAMARTHE CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLE$ Filed April 30,1956 INVENTOR T R Y A E M N A R L 0 0 n M A U m N u United States PatentCLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES Alfred Edouard Lamarthe, Paris, FranceApplication April 30, 1956, Serial No. 581,543 Claims priority,application France May 7, 1955 1 Claim. (Cl. 150-10) The presentinvention relates to closures for receptacles of flexible material, suchas leather, fabric, and the like.

Closures for receptacles of flexible material have been disclosed beforein my former U. S. Patents No. 2,255,- 598, dated September 9, 1941, andNo. 2,529,878, dated November 14, 1950.

While the closures proposed in said former patents did functionproperly, their structure was more or less complicated and consequentlytheir manufacture not very economical.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide aclosure for receptacles of flexible material which is not only ofparticularly simple structure, but also of very economical manufacture.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a closure forreceptacles of flexible material which comprises an expandable rigidmember to the ends of which are hinged the corresponding ends of a flatspring member, the length of the latter being equal to that of the rigidmember in its most expanded position.

It has been found that such structure is extremely simple in itsoperation, since the receptacle is maintained in closed position by thefiat spring member which engages the rigid member due to the tendency ofsaid flat spring member to maintain its straight position, and in orderto open the receptacle, it suflices to exert pressure upon the outerends of the rigid member toward each other, which pressure brings abouta shortening of the length of the rigid member and a bending outwardlyof the flat spring member, the latter thereby moving away from its rigidmember engaging position.

It is still another object of the present invention to providereleasable locking means, in order to maintain, if desired, the closurein its open position.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in thefollowing detailed description, the present invention will be clearlyunderstood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective front View of the closure for receptacles inclosed position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective front view of the closure for receptacles inopen position;

Fig. 3 is an exploded front perspective View of the closure forreceptacles in its closed position;

Fig. 4 is a section along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a section along the lines 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the closure comprises two main members,namely, a rigid expandable member 1 and a flat metal spring 2. The endsof the rigid member 1 and the corresponding ends of the flat spring 2are hingedly connected by means of hinge devices 3 the pivotal axes ofwhich are parallel and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinaldirection of the rigid member 1. The latter is expandable and comprisestwo telescopic sections preferably of rectangular cross section, thelength of the rigid member 1 being in its most expanded position equalto the length of the flat spring member 2. The sections of the rigidmember 1 may be either equipped with longitudinal slots and a rivet 4provided in one of the sections slides in the slot 5 of the other ofsaid sections and a rivet 6 provided in the other of said sectionsslides in the slot 7 of the first one of said sections, or said sectionsmay be made tubular to slide telescopically one in the other (notshown). A short tubular member 8 surrounds one side of both saidsections, which tubular member 8 has the function of limiting therelative expanding movement of said sections and is dimensioned in suchmanner that the most expanded position brings about a length of therigid member which is equal to that of the flat spring member 2, asclearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The receptacle .9 isopen at one end and the edge portions at the open end are mounted on therigid member 1 and the flat spring member 2, respectively.

It is of advantage to maintain the receptacle temporarily in openposition and while any suitable means may be used for that purpose, asimple structure may, by example, comprise a short member 10 of L-shapedcross section, one web of the L being insertable into the slot of onesection while the end of the other web of the L is hingedly connected tothe other of the sections, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In order to open the closed receptacle it is merely necessary to exertpressure in opposite directions towards the outer end of the rigidmember 1, in the direction of the arrows 11 indicated in Fig. 1 and thehinge devices 3 will permit the disengagement of the fiat spring member2 from the rigid member 1, so that the flat spring member 2 will assumea curved position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thereby openingthe receptacle. By inserting the'locking member 10 secured to onesection into the slot of the other section, the receptacle may beretained temporarily in open position.

In order to provide a firm closing position for the receptacle, the flatspring member may be of slightly curved cross section as particularlyclearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the convex side of thecurvature being on the outside of the flat spring member.

While the rigid member has been shown as consisting of two telescopingelements it is to be understood that three or even more elements may beprovided which telescope into each other without abandoning the spiritof the present invention.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is tobe understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in alimiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined bythe objects and the claim.

I claim:

A closure for receptacles comprising a rigid expandable member formed oftelescoping sections and a flat spring member, hinges at the ends ofsaid rigid member and of said flat spring member, the length of saidrigid member in its most expanded position being equal to the length ofsaid flat spring member, and the latter engaging firmly said rigidmember in the closed position of said receptacles and assuming a curvedposition and disengaging said rigid member in the open position of saidreceptacles, and said rigid member and said spring member being adaptedto have mounted thereon the edge portions of said receptacles, and alocking member of L-shaped cross section, one web of said locking memberhingedly connected with one of said longitudinal sections and the otherweb of said locking member projecting through the said slot of said onelongitudinal section into the said slot of the other of saidlongitudinal sections in References Citedin the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 554,091 Sears Feb. 4, 1896 operative lockingposition by abutting against said rivet 5 1,798,945 Lam th M 31, 1931 ofsaid other of said longitudinal sections and turned out of said slots inits inoperative position, thereby permit- FOREIGN PATENTS ting theextension of said rigid expandable member. 440,092 Germany Jan. 28, 1927

